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Association of periOperative Registered
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December 2000 Newsletter MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT The holiday season is upon us; a time to reflect about what has just passed, and that we need keep looking forward. I just hope that all of you will have a great time, joyous peace, and that you all stay safe. To the other business at hand; we are going to have an educational program January 13 and a 1 and 1/2-day conference on April 27 and 28. I hope that you are communicating with your chapter representative, letting them know what educational topics you would like to see the chapter develop/coordinate. Your communication does not have to be limited to educational topics; the chapter would appreciate all input, but especially your participation. The chapter would benefit significantly if your participation were 1/10 of the energy you'd expend during this holiday season. Have a wonderful holiday season and think at least a little of how you might be able to help the chapter. Season Greetings, Win
Please remember to send Deb Brown your e-mail address so your newsletter may be sent via e-mail! dbaorn2309@aol.com
QUARTERLY MEETING Saturday Jan 13, 2001 Borgess Medical Center Lawrence Education Center Rooms 123-124 9:00 – 11:00 Perioperative Nursing Data Set Speaker: Shirley Sutton-Rop RN, BS, CNOR 2.4 CEU All members are invited and encouraged to attend the Board and Business Meeting following the Educational presentation
CONGRESS IS COMING! Here is a reminder for anyone who is interested in representing our AORN chapter at Congress this year to fill out the Delegate Selection Record that was provided in the October Newsletter. The Nominating Committee has only received a few forms. We would like to have them returned on or before the Jan. 13 meeting. Return to Mary Ann Fusillo at 123 Delano St., Allegan, 49010 or bring to the meeting in January.
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN A ORNGOLF SCRAMBLE Our first annual golf outing fundraiser has been slated for Saturday, September 22, 2001 at Cheshire Hills Golf Course. Cheshire Hills is a beautiful, 27-hole course located between Allegan and Gobles. Be sure to keep that date open for some relaxation and fun with your friends and colleagues. You will be receiving additional information as that event grows nearer.
NEW WEB SITE READY FOR VIEWING! The Computer Committee has been working for several months in the development of our very own Chapter web site. Log onto our site at http://swmiaorn.50megs.com, and be sure to add it to your "favorites" list for easy access. You will be able to read the latest (and backdated) newsletter(s), contact your Board representatives, find out when and where the next Chapter meeting will be located, and much more. There will also be links to AORN National Headquarters and other useful and important sites. This project will be a work-in-progress for a few months as we smooth out the kinks. If there is anything that you would like to see on your website contact Shirley Sutton-Rop with suggestions. A huge thanks to Matt Becker for his help in establishing our site and assisting with its kick off.
November 2000 Newsletter NEW CHAPTER MEETING & NEWSLETTER FORMAT
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT There are many changes occurring around but none as big as the one we can participate in on November 7, 2000. It is an important day and a critical day. We should not ignore it or even lazily let pass without making voting. No matter what your political affiliation, don't abuse your right by not voting. As much as voting is important, so is the show of support for a cause - another right. Well, there are some that are trying to put together a MILLION NURSE march on Washington D.C. with coordinating marches in other states. It might seem to some of you like an over done effort or even out of place for nurses to do. For those of you who don't see the benefit, remember one of these days we all will have to unite to protect our profession, patients, and healthcare. What a great way to start. For further information about the march: http://allnurses.com/million.html and under construction another site http://millionnursemarch.com So don't forget to vote and look for the million nurse march some time in the future and enjoy the month of November. Celebrate the holiday safely and be thankful for the people around you Thank you, Win
QUARTERLY MEETING Saturday Jan 13, 2001 Borgess Medical Center Lawrence Education Center Rooms 123-124 9:00 – 11:00 Perioperative Nursing Data Set Speaker: Shirley Sutton-Rop RN, BS, CNOR 2.4 CEU All members are invited and encouraged to attend the Board and Business Meeting following the Educational presentation
Perioperative Registered Nurses Make a Difference This week I spent some time reviewing back issues of professional journals and came upon Brenda Ulmer's "President's Message" written in the July 2000 issue of the AORN Journal. I was personally moved and encouraged by her words regarding professional advocacy. In this ever-present climate of cost saving initiatives, external forces are squeezing the perioperative registered nurse out. Unlicensed assistive personnel think they can do what a perioperative nurse does, and administration is looking for ways to reduce expenses. And then there is the ever-looming state and federal government whose "wisdom" continues to surprise us with regard to how we should be caring for our patients and who should be providing that care. These, despite weekly sensational newspaper headlines that depict patients who have experienced negative outcomes during their hospital stay. This year at AORN Congress 2000 in New Orleans, Virginia Trotter Betts RN, MSN, JD, FAAN, recent senior advisor on nursing and policy to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and past president of the American Nurses Association, gave an emotional presentation entitled "Linking Nursing, Quality, and Public Policy". A discussion during the question and answer period ensued between Ms. Trotter Betts and several perioperative nurse professionals, many from the National Board. The topic evolved around the definite need for every patient to have a perioperative registered nurse. Ms. Trotter Betts challenged that concept, stating that, as a professional group, we have not submitted empirical data to prove such a statement. I remember sitting there with my heart pounding, along with the several thousand other perioperative nurses thinking, "Well, of course every patient needs a perioperative nurse." I know that, you know that, so what is the issue. Well the issue is, as an organization with greater than 43,000 members, we have done a poor job of making that fact known. We have not provided enough research or outcomes data to show that patients experience positive outcomes when their care is provided by a perioperative registered nurse. There are several things we can do to justify our existence at every patient's bedside. The greatest initiative that is taking place on the National level is the adoption of a standard nursing language, the Perioperative Nursing Data Set. There are also standard definitions for what we do (procedural times, scheduling definitions, patient categories), that have been adopted for use in the perioperative environment. With these tools, we will be able to compare patient care and track outcomes that are of vital importance in proving our worth. At the local hospital level you can offer each patient the brochure, "It's Important for You to Know" (available through AORN at a reasonable cost), which promotes the use of perioperative registered nurses before, during, and after surgery. Or encourage your patients to log onto www.aorn.org and click on the Direct Connections link entitled "Surgery Center: A Patient's Place". This site is full of pre and post-op instructions, including the benefits of having a perioperative nurse for one's care. On a personal level, take the opportunity to greet your patients by starting your name and proceeding with, "I am your perioperative registered nurse. I will be taking care of you today." If they ask what that means tell them that you have received special training, beyond nursing school, in the care of patient's that are undergoing surgical procedures. By putting a human face on the profession of perioperative nursing, we will instill in the public mind what is obvious to us: we are indispensable to health care. We can make a huge collective impact in preserving our profession as perioperative nurses by working together to prove that we do make a difference every day in the lives of our surgical patients. Shirley Sutton-Rop RN, BS, CNOR
Please remember to send me your e-mail address so I can send you the newsletter via e-mail at dbaorn2309@aol.com
Honorarium for Shirley Freid RN The chapter will be sending to the AORN Foundation $125 as an honorarium for Shirley Fried, a Perioperative Nurse nurse for many years (when we were still called OR nurses) who died this past summer. She worked at Bronson Hospital until she retired a few years ago. If anyone would like to send additional funds, please contact, Phyllis Waltman 4101 B Drive North Battle Creek, Mi 49017
October 2000 Newsletter MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT October, the start of the fall season. This year is flying by so fast that it is almost a blur. As we participate in all our activities, you can easily miss, postpone, forget, or even feel it is not worth keeping up your connection to your professional chapter of the AORN. I beg to differ with you, it is this connection that keeps the strength of the whole organization a significant influence over our perioperative practice. You have sports, school activities, travel, Halloween, birthdays, shopping and the list can go on, but these are all possible because of your professional position. To have influence over this position, you need to participate at your place of employment, and your professional organization. It is sometimes hard to see, let alone believe, the benefits from an organization - AORN. It, AORN, is our voice dealing with government policy/laws, other professional (medical, nursing, business, environmental, and etc), and developing our standards that all impact us. This influences how we as professionals care for our patients. All this sounds idealistic, and possibly stale, but we can't diminish our professional development. Don't forget that you ALL are professionals. So, have a wonderful October and safely enjoy all your activities. HAPPY FALL SEASON Win Kuck, President
From the Nominating Committee If you are planning to attend the AORN Congress this as a representative of our chapter, the chapter can help you financially. Please fill out the enclosed Delegate Selection Record and return to Maryann Fusillo by 10/21 so we can get an idea how many people are interested in going and we can review our available funds for that purpose. Going to Congress is an exciting adventure, something which should be done at least once to appreciate the work that goes on in the background of AORN, as well as getting an infusion of the excitement and networking that occurs at a nationally attended event like this. Please return the filled in form to: Maryann Fusillo
QUARTERLY MEETING Saturday Jan 13, 2001 Borgess Medical Center Lawrence Education Center Subject to be announced 2.4 CEU Rooms 123-124 Presentation 9:00 – 12:00 Board and Business Meeting To follow the presentation
NEWS FROM BORGESS-PIPP HOSPITAL Our surgery department at Borgess-Pipp was recently renovated during the later part of May and June. In this period, our complete surgery and endoscopy department was relocated to our old and unused obstetrical area so surgery could support our emergency room and OB department. Our renovation included new heating, ventilation, air conditioning systems, fire sprinklers, lighting, flooring and a larger sterile storage area and fresh paint. Every staple, instrument, paper clip and pencil had to be packed and moved or stored for future use. My staff worked hard in completing this major project, and teamwork was displayed by all. To make the time pass, we cranked up the music and made a game of it. Our OB department welcomed us into our temporary home with a lunch on moving day. We are now back in our new and improved home and I am glad this project is behind us! After this project completion, I still have hair left and it’s not gray! Karen Oram, Nurse Manager, Surgical Services
EDITOR'S NOTE If you have any information you would like to put in the monthly newsletter, please send it to me by the 26th of each month so I can include it in the next edition. Chapter members are interested in hearing about their peers, and we all have stories to tell. If you have attended any interesting inservices, conferences, or learning opportunities, share the information with the chapter. A goal of any professional organization is to share information with its members in order to upgrade the skills of the entire profession. This is a difficult task but it can improve the care of our patients, who are, ultimately, our reason for being who and what we are. Please send any information to me at: Debi Brown Or e-mail me at: dbaorn2309@aol.com Also, remember to please send me your e-mail address so I can send you the newsletter via e-mail. Soon we will have a web site that you can visit which will have the newsletter posted, but until then e-mail is the preferred way to go. Regular US Mail is still an option, but it is the most slow and expensive one, so please send your e-mail address with me. I do not share your address with anyone; I just put it in my files for newsletter time. Thanks for your cooperation.
NEWS FROM LAKEVIEW HOSPITAL Congratulations are in order for Gertrude (Trudi) Lyzenga RN, CNOR, RNFA has completed classroom work for her RNFA at St. James Hospital & Health Centers in Chicago Heights, Illinois on May 19, 2000. She completed one hundred twenty hours of clinical internship and received six college credits from Prairie State College. Trudi will begin working as an RNFA at LakeView on October 1, 2000.
JOB POSTINGS Looking for a change? Borgess Medical Center has two openings at this time for Registered Nurses, 80hrs on the 9 – 5 shift, and 3 – 11 two days a week. If you are interested, contact Brad Gordon at Borgess Medical Center at 226-7000, and ask for the Surgery Department.
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN AORN Calculate the number of points earned from June 1998 to June 1999. One point for each except perfect attendance at monthly meetings, which earns 3 added points. OFFICE: President _______ President Elect _______ Board Member _______ Past President _______ Secretary _______ Vice President _______ Treasurer _______ COMMITTEE PARTICIPATION: Chairperson _______ Number of Meetings _______ Committee attendance validated by submitted committee minutes/reports. EDUCATION CNOR _______ CRNFA _______ Degree in health care (completed during point accumulation year) _______ ATTENDANCE Monthly Meeting _______ (1 point per meeting) Perfect Attendance _______(add 3 extra points) WORKSHOP: Chairperson _______ Monitor _______ Set-up _______ Speaker/Presenter_______ FCC : Whole year to earn point _______NEWSLETTER EDITOR : _______AD HOC COMMITTEE : _______ (Follows same criteria as regular committee)OTHER PERIOPERATIVE PARTICIPATION/ACTIVITY: Speaker (AORN sponsored beyond local chapter) _______ Author (Perioperative related, submit copy with this form) _______ National Committee Member or Office Holder _______ Current membership in other Nursing Organization _______ (Submit copy of membership card with this form)
NAME: __________________________________ TOTAL POINTS: ________
If you have any questions to refer to the National AORN Headquarters, their numbers are: Toll free 1-800-755-2676, Fax # is 1-800-755-7980 http://www.aorn.org
September 2000 MESSAGE
FROM THE PRESIDENT It is the start of the changing of the guard for our chapter. I, Win Kuck, am your new president. I work at Trillium Hospital in Albion, MI, and you can reach me at work, 517-629-2191, ext. 266, at home, 616-327-1485, or on the web at, winkuck@ameritech.net. We
are only a few, of only a few, that are working to keep you informed,
connected, and generally aware. In
these times of everyone's increasingly busy schedules, it is getting harder to
sustain professionals in their professional organizations, and even harder to
get them to participate. This
reality has lead us, your officers of the chapter, to try to change our ways.
It is our plan to improve, streamline, and be cost effective.
What we are planning is to have board meetings monthly at different
hospitals our chapter. We are
hoping to get opportunities to communicate with perioperative nurses, and
learn more about you and your facilities.
Education is very important to remain current and keep your license.
We are planning quarterly educational sessions on Saturday's with 1.0
to 2.0 contact hours and no business meetings.
Our hope is to rotate the locations for these sessions as possible.
Finally cost effectiveness, is an area of stewardship that is entrusted
to the officers, but requires a lot of membership participation to accomplish.
We appreciate your membership, but every year we loose more members and
don’t see new recruits or returning professionals. The chapter is here to
serve its members and it is the responsibility of the members to actively
contribute support in all ways possible.
What we are trying to accomplish is to better accommodate the
membership and maintain the spirit of the chapter.
The effort it takes to do this would be easier for everyone if there
were more members willing to participate.
Please contact me with ideas, concerns or willingness to help in anyway
regarding chapter projects. (You
don’t need to become an officer to HELP.)
This is YOUR chapter.
Win Kuck MONTHLY MEETINGSaturday Sept 9 Bronson Gilmore
Center Forum Rooms A &
B 2.4 CEU Roundtable
discussion on Pain Management Featuring Dr Byung
Rhee, Ms. Kye RN and patients of Dr Rhee Presentation 9:00 – 11:00
Board and Business Meeting To follow the
presentation On-Line News Those of us on the computer committee are excited with
the progress made on establishing the Website for our chapter.
Our plans are to have a lot of information available to all chapter
members on line, including the Board members, upcoming chapter events, the
newsletter, maps for the various facilities affiliated with our chapter and
more.
Trying to improve communication with our members is always an ongoing
project. Participation in our
organization is the best way to reap the benefits of belonging to AORN, and
participation is limited by many factors, including home life, work schedules,
and time constraints. But we do realize that to know what is going within the
chapter, information about the chapter must be easily accessible. Monthly
newsletters are costly to the chapter, and they will continue to those who are
not on-line. But since about 30% of our chapter have e-mail addresses, putting
the information on-line a very cost-effective of putting the information out
there for everyone. The cost is free after the initial set-up fee, and I feel
a lot more members are on line that those for which we have addresses.
We want to have current information available for everyone, but we don’t
want to overwhelm members with information either.
On-line, whatever you need to know or whomever you would need to
contact to get the information you need would be easily accessible.
We plan to also have easy links to get you to AORN’s
national webpage if you would like to scope out what is happening on the
national front. We have the
assistance of a computer guru (Linda Becker’s Son) to set up the webpage
itself, and it will be maintained by the computer committee to keep
information on it current. As
more progress is made, we will keep you informed, and when we go live we will
let all members know.
The Board is seeking input for new
fundraising activities. Like most organizations, our Chapter relies on
fundraising dollars to make ends meet. In the past, we have sold knives, angel
pins, cookbooks, and Koeze nuts, to name a few. These little fundraisers can
be exhausting and lengthy, with many of the same members providing the
manpower. Money raised from our large educational conferences has offset our
financial needs in the past. Of course, much effort goes into a project like
this; however, once the project is over it does not require further work. We are open for ideas regarding
fundraising projects, both small and large. We could also use some fresh
blood, if you are willing and able. If you are not particularly excited about
fundraising activities, but have some great ideas, we are all ears. We will
not make you work for your ideas! One last comment. The idea of holding a golf
outing has been discussed. The Board is aware of the amount of work that would
go into this project and is looking for comments, ideas, and volunteers to
help if we should decide to move ahead. We are looking forward to hearing from
Wanted: News from the membership! A great way to stay connected with your
colleagues is to read the latest news from other members and facilities. Of
course, a successful information pipeline depends on all of us. A Board member
will soon be contacting Facility Coordinators for their input. Some ideas for
newsletter publication are:
q
New staff members at your facility
q
Academic achievements (RN, BSN, CNOR,
etc.)
q
Authorship
q
New procedures being performed at your
facility
q
Building projects/expansions
q
Challenging problem needing input from
fellow members
q
Educational offerings at your facility
q
Editorial comments
q
Any newsworthy items A sample of the information we are
looking for would be: Hospital:
Hillsdale Hospital Person
in Charge: Denise Baker RN, BS Title:
Director of Surgical Services Areas
of Responsibility: OR, PACU, CS,
Ambulatory care, ER Years
in Present Position: Number
of (Suites) OR Rooms: two Number
of cases per year: 2500 Number
of RN FTEs: 8.0 (OR & PACU) Number
of Surgical Tech FTEs: 4.0
Specialties of Service:
not neuro (cranis), thoracic, or
cardiac, do all the rest Call:
q 4th weekend and 1 night per week OB
Service: C-sections done on OR, OR staff
cover No news is boring so LET'S HEAR FROM YOU!
Volunteer
List Missing from Board meeting
In spite of the best efforts of the Board, the list containing the volunteers
for the various committees is still missing.
We need all those who have volunteered or would like to volunteer for
one of the following committees to let someone on the board know so that
information and tasks can be handled Membership
Committee
Fundraising Committee
Bylaws
Committee
Education Committee
Policy & Procedure Committee
For information about the committees,
number of members needed, their functions and if you would like to work on any
of these committees, please contact one of the Board members.
Their names and phone #’s are below.
If you have any
questions to refer to the National AORN Headquarters, their numbers are: Toll free
1-800-755-2676, Fax # is 1-800-755-7980 Send comments regarding this web site to shirley.rop@mediware.com
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